Chain Reaction
by Goth Albino Angel
Summary: After the coronation, Mal breaks up with Ben and he pushes her to do what will make her happy.


**_Another Malvie fic coming your way! Enjoy, alligators!_**

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The afterparty for the coronation was still in full swing, everyone having a good time rejoicing the incoming rule of a new king as well as Maleficent's permanent incapability to attack them anymore now that she was the size of a komodo dragon. Several of the dancers paired up to tap til they couldn't feel their feet anymore and others were simply content to mingle and relax after such a stressful day.

Ben and Mal slipped from the festivities quite easily despite one now being hailed as a hero and the other being the new ruler of the kingdom. Of course, the pair decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and moved to a more secluded part of the schoolgrounds, watching as more fireworks were set off to illuminate the party. The sounds of laughter and music were far fainter here, allowing for a semblance of privacy for the two of them.

Sitting on a bench and watching the dancing lights in the distance, Mal sighed. She had known that she would have to do this at some point. After all, even if she knew that the love spell was lifted, she hadn't actually officially accepted the ring from Ben. She knew what it would mean if she had and the fairy couldn't bear to continue lying to someone as sweet, kind and loving as Ben.

Ben sat beside the purplette, watching the emotion—as small as the signs may be—play on her face. He knew from experience that forcing her into talking would result in being pushed out, so he waited patiently for her to speak. It was clear from her rigid position that Mal definitely had something serious on her mind and this wasn't just a brief respite from the festivities. Ben wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that she kept playing with his ring.

Finally, the silence—or what of it there was with a party raging in the distance—became too much for Mal and she took a deep breath. _Better to get this over with as soon as possible._ Turning to the brunette, she took another deep breath to steady herself before beginning to speak. "Look, Ben, I… I honestly don't know how best to say this-."

"You're breaking up with me." The brunette supplied helpfully.

Mal paused in shock, staring at him suspiciously, looking for any sign that he was acting happy to mask something else, possibly sadness since Ben didn't seem the type to get angry very quickly. "You… don't seem upset by that…"

Ben chuckled softly, the smile genuine even if it was a bit sad. He looked up at the stars a moment before turning back to the fairy. "Well, no offense, Mal, but I've kind of known for a while now that you're not into me, even after the Enchanted Lake, I kinda figured that you… just weren't into this relationship."

"I should have told you right after you told me you knew you had been spelled, but…" Mal ran a hand through her hair. "The coronation and the quest for the wand… I just wasn't thinking, I guess. I'm really sorry about it, too. Your coronation."

"You didn't cause that." Ben told her, his smile falling into a serious expression. "I could tell that you were against going up there from the beginning. You knew that you could be happy here in Auradon. Jane caused what happened at my coronation, not you, Mal. You and your friends _saved_ it."

Mal ducked her head, avoiding his gaze. "Still, the whole point of me even putting that spell on you was so I could get close to the wand. That's the whole reason our parents even allowed us to come to Auradon, so we could set them free."

"But you didn't." Ben pointed out. "You faced down your mother and used the love you held for your friends and the goodness in your heart to defeat her without having to stick a sword through her chest." Mal cringed and Ben nodded. "I thought so. Family is still family, even if you have to go against them. I honestly couldn't be more proud of you. Had you won that stare-down, but kept the wand, I would have known you were choosing your own path."

"And you would have been disappointed that I was choosing evil, right?" Mal scoffed.

"Actually, only a little bit." Ben admitted sheepishly. "I would have actually been pretty proud that you weren't letting fear control your decisions and you were taking this step because _you_ wanted to. I know I've been pushing you, all of you, to be good since you got here, but… really, I just wanted to give you a chance to do what _you_ wanted. There can't be a balance without good _and_ evil, Mal. Had you chosen evil, I would have known you were making your own choice."

"You're such an Auradonian." Mal snickered, pushing against his shoulder. "That speech was so cliché of something your parents or one of their friends would have said."

"But it's true." Ben laughed, not even budging. "Besides, it's not like causing mischief is evil. If that were the case, Chad would have been sent to the Isle long ago. I knew you and your friends weren't evil, Mal. I just was trying to get all of you to see what I had."

Mal stared up at the stars a moment, lapsing into silence as she thought this over. Glancing to her friend, she smiled at him, unable to voice to him the words she would have no trouble saying to one of the other Rotten Four. However, despite this, Ben seemed to pick up on it and he smiled back.

The two of them lapsed into silence, neither of them particularly torn over no longer being romantically involved with one another. Really, it worked out better for both of them this way. Mal was no longer leading Ben on and Ben was happy to let Mal be with whomever she wanted, even if no one at all, so long as she was happy being herself.

Speaking of which…

"So, have you and Evie been dating long?"

There was a slight cracking sound as Mal's head whipped around to stare at him, her mouth slightly ajar. It was the second time that day (and ever) that Ben had seen her like this and it made him chuckle. The large grey eyes stared at him as Mal was dumbstruck for a few more seconds. "E, she and I… we aren't… it's not like that."

"But you want it to be." Ben stated, turning his gaze back to the stars and fireworks. "The way the two of you act around each other, how you're softer and more playful with her than with Jay and Carlos, you're not as… cruel, I guess I could say, to her as you are the other princesses, either."

"Audrey said she no long-."

"She will by the end of the month if I have a say in the matter." Ben shrugged. "Still, Mal. It's obvious that you feel differently with Evie than you do with everyone else. Have you told her?"

"Of course not!" Mal snorted, turning her head away again. "She's looking for a prince, after all. Someone to give her the happy ending her mother kept primping her for, the one my mom and I kept telling her would never happen because she was on that island, the one she's been dreaming about ever since she was a little girl. It was the only thing she was hoping for on that island, the only thing that stopped her from giving up countless times. Jay and I, we had our pranks, my graffiti, his stealing, we had things to distract us. Carlos was too busy being a slave-dog to his mother to even have time to think about ending it, but E? All she had was her mother telling her she needed to be beautiful. She just wants the happy ending all of your parents' friends got. I can't give that to her. I'm no prince."

Ben watched the smallest hints of sadness play on the pale face and wondered just how much Mal was keeping under the surface. She obviously cared very much for Evie and, if he had to guess, the thought of the sapphire-haired woman finding a prince here in Auradon was eating away at Mal. He could understand if it was. On the island, there was no way off except death—if that—so there was no possibility of Evie finding a prince, which meant Mal had her for herself. But here? Auradon was alight with young princes and nobles, handsome or rich, some kind at heart, others charismatic, all of them available. Evie could be whisked away to some castle at any given moment and Mal would be left, heartbroken (though she'd never admit it to anyone).

It made Ben's heart go out to the young fairy for even holding herself together this long, regardless of the mission they had been focusing on.

"How long have you been into her?" Ben asked.

"Years." Mal responded lowly, hanging her head as they watched the fireworks from afar. "She and I… we didn't really officially meet until we turned fourteen. But even before then, I saw her. How could I not, she was the most radiant person in the room, outshining everyone with just a smile. And when she spoke, it was like every demon down in hell had gathered together to make the most perfect, succubus voice they could and they gave it to her. There may have been no magic on the Isle, but I was still under her spell."

"Now who's sounding like my parents?" Ben teased, making Mal roll her eyes at him.

"Yeah, well, I _have_ been spending my time around you the last few weeks. _Something_ is bound to rub off."

"You know, I think you should tell her." Ben had almost been hoping for another shocked expression, but he figured Mal thought he was going to say that anyway.

"Of course you do." The purplette muttered, confirming his thoughts. "But I can't just do that. She wants a prince, Ben. I'm a fairy, a dragon. I'm a hero now, sure, but that's nothing like being a prince and being able to give her anything she wants."

"You have magic to help you give her everything she wants." Ben shrugged. "And I'm reinstating her royalty, so she'll have a fortune and a castle soon enough."

Mal mulled this over, realizing that there was a lot of truth to Ben's words. Now that she knew some people saw her as more than just a pretty face, Evie was likely going to be much easier to please, since she didn't have to try as hard to get people to notice her for who she was. Mal had tried for a while to give Evie as much as possible, even back on the Isle where the chance of her mother finding out the feelings she harbored for the blunette would mean a severe beating. But it had been worth it to see Evie smile.

The tension and uncertainty was too much in her stomach. She needed answers. She knew that, even if Evie rejected her, they would always be friends, family even. But she couldn't keep going not knowing what the other woman's feelings to her concretely were. Sucking in a deep breath, Mal stood and smoothed out her dress. Ben stood as well, looking to her in confusion.

"Are you ready to head back to the party?" the new king inquired.

"Yeah." Mal nodded. "I need to ask someone special a really important question."

Ben grinned as Mal set off for the lights in the distance, the pair of them returning to the party to find that not much had changed. Jay shot them a wink as they passed, but Ben shook his head, confusing the darker brunette, who immediately began following his leader curiously. Carlos spotted Jay following Mal and joined him, the pair of them whispering about why Mal could be looking so determined.

Near the snack table, the group spotted Evie talking sheepishly to a beaming Snow White, the pair obviously having started up a tentative conversation with one another. Mal stepped forward and laid a hand on Evie's arm, effectively breaking into the conversation. It did not escape the eyes of any of the three males when Evie immediately relaxed at Mal's touch, turning to the purplette with a grin.

"What's up, Mal?" she asked, her raspy, seductive voice carrying over the music.

"E, are you in love with me?" Mal demanded calmly, grey eyes staring into shocked brown.

After a few seconds of Evie standing in a daze before her, Mal cocked her head impatiently. This brought a blooming grin to Evie's lips as she let out a short laugh. "So you finally got up the nerve to ask me?" she giggled, throwing her arms around the shorter woman's shoulders. "Of course I'm in love with you, Mal."

"B-but… what about your prince?" Mal pointed out, allowing the hug because… it was _Evie._

"Mal, no prince could protect me as well as you can." The fashionista told her. "You're a dragon and a knight in one. No one would dare stand against your wrath. I know with you, I'm safe and happy. I never wanted a prince, Mal. I just thought that, since you didn't seem interested, it was my only other option."

Mal rolled her eyes and gave Evie a pointed look. "How was I supposed to know you've _always_ been interested?" Evie teased. "You _never_ said anything. You never even _tried_ to kiss me. I thought you didn't like me as anything more than a friend."

Mal stared at her a moment and Evie allowed a smirk to filter to her lips, the pair staring one another down. Finally, Mal gave another roll of her eyes and leaned up, wrapping a hand around Evie's neck and pressing their lips together. Evie hummed happily and wrapped her arms around Mal's waist, content to simply hold the purplette now that it was confirmed Mal liked her back. Carlos and Jay went nuts, whistling and cheering, drawing attention to the two women. Audrey and Chad made their way over and sneered at the couple.

"Dude, it's kinda hot." Chad snickered.

"Figures, the only place a reject princess would belong is with a dragon." Audrey scoffed, tossing her hair.

Mal simply flicked her finger and the two of them suddenly found their hair falling to the ground. Audrey let out a fearsome shriek and grasped at her head as Chad tried to catch the falling strands desperately. Jay and Carlos roared with laughter as the two pompous royals disappeared, unwilling to let too many people see them like this. Evie simply watched them go, smiling down at her girlfriend with a pointed look.

"It'll wear off in, like, an hour, relax." Mal laughed.

"See?" Evie grinned. "Protecting me even when I don't need you to."

"Yeah, well, I guess I can get a little excited, Princess." Mal huffed.

"Care to dance?" Evie asked quietly.

"You gave me those stupid lessons, I might as well use them." The fairy shrugged, allowing Evie to lead her to the dance floor. Ben watched them proudly, glad that his first proclamation had been such a success. Giving the children of villains a chance to live happy lives was the best thing he could have ever done. Probably even for the kingdom.

"What are you standing there for?" Jay asked, appearing on one side of him as Carlos took his other side.

"Yeah, why don't we go dance too?" the whitette grinned, grabbing onto one of Ben's arms.

"I'm down for that." Ben laughed, allowing the pair to lead him to the dance floor beside the girls, all five of them soon joined by Lonnie and Doug as the group simply let the happiness fill them for the night. It was the first time the villain kids had ever felt so free from expectation and they were definitely going to enjoy it.

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 ** _There you are. Why not drop a review and tell me how you liked it? Thank you!_**


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